Railroad car construction



Aug. 13, 1929. SELF RAILROAD CAR CONSTRUCTION Fil J ly 1925 4Sheets-Sheet m hmmmmimm f 1 a m INVENTOR QSSSQ Q Q RNRN BY I 2 ATTORNEYSAug. 13, 1929. E. A. SELF 1,724,149

RAILROAD CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYSAug. 13, 1929. E. A. SELF I 1,724,149

RAILROAD CAR CONS'I;RUCTION Filed ly 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1929. E.ALSELF' I RAILROAD CAR CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 6, 1925INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES EDGAR ALFRED SELI'Q OI' BRONXVILLE, NEW YORK.

RAILROAD CAR CONSTRUCTION.

"Application filed July 6, 1925. Serial No. 41,502.

This invention relates to improved t pes of vfihicles, and particularly,rallway r llng stoc It is an object of the invention to increase r thecarrying capacity of a railroad car, particularly of the passenger type,without neccssitat ng a rearrangement of rails, enlargement of tunnelsand cuts, heightening of bridges, etc.

It is a further object to also increase the seating capacity of arailroad car in proportion to the increase in carrying capacity thereof,and without substantially altering the effective space available to eachseat in occupant.

A still further ob'ect resides in the construction of a car w ich, whenloaded, will have a low center of gravity, and in which provision willbe made for all necessary car an appliances or accessories.

A still further object resides in a novel iorm of structural unitsproviding a car slreleton, around which a car body accomplishing theforegoing objects may be built.

Another object is that of furnishing a 'car capable of accom lishing theresults previcusly outlined, an which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, and the parts of which may be of a relatively uncom li- Wcarted typeand capable of being rea ily assembled.

With these and further objects in mind, the invention accordinglycomprises an article oi manufacture possessing the features,propel-ties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified inthe article hereinafter described, and the scope of the application ofwhich will be indicated in the claims.

Additional objects will be apparent upon reference to the specificationand drawings, "which latter illustrate practical embodiments of theinvention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of car constructed within theterms of the present invention, the side wall bei broken away throu houtone end portion 0 this car to disclose t e interior thereof;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view, taken on the lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, taken on the lines H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a slightly differenttype of car;

Fig. 5 is a view correspon ing to Fig. 2,

and taken on the lines 5-5 of Fig. 4;

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Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 and-inthe direction of the arrows in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 shows one end of a car skeleton such as may be utilized forproviding a car of the type shown in Figs. 1 to 3;

F1gs. and 9 are transverse sectional views taken along the lines 88 and99 and in the direction of the arrows indicated in Fig 7; I

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 8-8, butshowing merely the units forming the side portion of the skeleton atthis point;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 11-11 andshowin the units forming the side portions of the s eleton at thispoint;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 12-12 ofFig. 7;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts as shown in Fig.12;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the car skeleton taken on the lines 2-2 asillustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 15, is similar to F ig.- 7, but shows a car skeleton of a typesuitable for use in the construction of a car of the nature shown inFigs 4 to 6 inclusive;

Figs. 16 and 17 are views corresponding" to Figs. 10 and 11, but takenalong the lines l616and 17-17 of Fig. F Fig. 18 is taken along the lines1818 of Fig. 19 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts as shown inFig. 18; and

Fig. 20 is a plan view of a car skeleton of the nature shown in Fig. 15taken along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The various illustrated embodiments show the preferred forms of theinvention, and,

as in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, depict a car body a generally indicated at15 which is supported upon trucks 16 disposed ad acent its ends, andwhich has its central portion sus ended betweenthese trucks, as has beenin icated at 17. B virtue of this underslung or gondola-1' e centralortion sufficient space 1 1s provided between .t e floor 18 and roof 19of the car to ermit of a central deck-portion 20 exten mg longitudinallyof the car body. Thus, the central portion of the car is divided into anupper and lower level, each providing sufficiently clear head room, andalso, having the conventional arran ment of seats, thus increasingtheseating its capacity of a car of the same length and nor mal seatingarrangement upwards of 55 per cent.

Ready passage from one end of the car to the other and access to the twodifferent central levels of the car may, be afforded by providing pairsof stairways 21 adjacent each deck end, one of the stairways of eachfore generally utilized for air tanks, pres sure pumps and otherauxiliary machineryand, if the car 'isa motor car, rheostats and otherelectrical applianceswill be rendered unavailable. Now, with a view tofurnishing space for the accommodation of these accessories andappliances the end-portions of the car body 15 may be provided withcompartments 22 adjacent the roof 19. These compartments, while amplefor the accommoda'tion of the various mechanisms, clear the floors ofthe car ends sufficiently to assure adequate head room at these points,and it will be appreciated that the walls forming these compartments maybe of such a character as to adequately muffle any sounds emanating fromthe mechanisms housed within the same.

Where a car of this type is utilized by a public utility having a thirdrail system, it will be understood that the central portion of the carmight contact with the third rail. In order to overcome this objectionit will be observed that in the present exemplification the longitudinaledges of the central portion of the car are recessed as at 23. Thisrecessing, while amply sufiicient to accommodate the third rail evenduring the traversing of an acutecurve, is insufficient to materiallyencroach upon the lower level of the car, and, consequently, thepassenger space of this level is not in any manner reduced when thisexpedient is resorted to.

It will be obvious that in constructing a car of the nature suggestedthe skeleton or frame will have to be specially designed in order toconform to, and properly support, the car body.

A suitable type of frame has been shown in Figs. 7 to 14 inclusive,which frame is particularly adapted for use in connection with a car ofthe type illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3. The main portions of the sides ofthe frame at each end of the car may be formed by utilizing web-members24, the outer ends of which extend to a point adjacent the car end, andthe bases or the parts which are at points furthest from the car end areenlarged as at 24'. These web-members lie adjacent the car roof, andfurther web-members 25 are disposed adjacent the floor of the frame andhave their bodies extending generally parallel to the members 24. Thesecond web-members, i. c., 25, have their outer ends, in the presentexample, terminating at a point short of the outer car ends, and at thispoint are connected to the upper web-members by uprights 26 whichrigidly secure them to each other. Further uprights comprising the sideframe members 27 extend between the web-members 24 and 25 at pointsshort of the outer ends of both of the same, and it is to be observedthat each member 25 is enlarged adjacent its base, preferably bysecuring thereto an additional and broader web 28. Adjacent the innerends of each the members 24 and 25 a vertically-extending web-member 29is provided, and it will here be appreciated that the sets of members24, 25 and 29 each provide in aggregate a U-shaped element, the legs ofwhich in the present instance are broadened adjacent the bases thereof.Extending rearwardly from its base, and serving to connect the U-shapedassemblies at opposite ends of the car, are webs 30, which will thus liein a plane substantially in line with the central deck-portion 20 whichforms the floor of the upper seating compartment.

The lower ends or edges of the webs 28 and 29 are cut so as to extendobliquely, as has been indicated at. 31, and the inner and lower edgesof these members are continued in each nstance in the form of a web 32,which extends in the same plane as the lower deck or floor of thecentral car portion. All side frame members 27 are connected togetheradjacent their lower edges by cross beams 33, and at their upper edgesby roofbeams 34, all of which extend transversely of the car body. Theyare also connected together by cross-beams 35, which lie in a planebetween the members 30 to provide a foundation for the upper deck floorso that an extremely rigid and counterbalanced construction is assured.

-The vestibule port-ion or portions oftho car may be rigiditied andsupported by the use of T-members 36 of double channel section. whichextend longitudinally of the car body and are disposed at the end of thesame with their heads projecting into substantially the same plane asthe outer ends of the webunembers 24 and beyond the uprights 26 and theends of the members 25.

While the various web-members may be constructed in any desirablemanner, it is preferred that they be of the composite type. For example,as aforestated, the members 25 and 28 may be two separate webs, theformer having an inwardly-extending flange 25 at its upper edge and anoutwardly-extendllt and the whole may be riveted together. The member 28has its lower edge lying adjacent the flange 25" of the web-member 25,and this flange extends below the lower edge of the first-namedweb-member, which latter has an L-shaped beam 39 afiixed to its body andadjacent its upper edge so that the entire construction will be rigid.The cross-beams 33 are supported by the assembly, as are likewise theuprights 27, and it is obvious that these various units and others,instead of being retained against relative movement by riveting, mightbe integral or secured to gether in an desired manner.

The n rig ts 27 are each preferably channel mem rs, and those uprightswhich extend most nearly adjacent the outer ends of the webs 28 may beassociated with the frame assembly by the use of straps 40 which projectacross the joint between these uprights and the webs 28. At this point alate 41 is provided, which has its upper 'ge spaced from the web 25 toprovide a pocket for the reception of the vertically-extending leg ofthe L-member 39, so that an extremely rigid construction is furnished.

Now, with a view to furnishing a structure which will provide thedesired recess 23 it will be observed that the web 32, in addition tosupporting the uprights 27, has at its lower edge an outWardly-extendinflange 42 corresponding to the flange 25 as in Fig. 12. Angled-members43 are firmly aflixed to the beams 32 so that an offset construction isprovided at this point furnishing the recess desired, and the entireassembly may be strengthened by having webs 44 associated with themembers 43. The cross-beams 33 have their ends secured adjacent thelower edges of the members 43, so that the floor of the car isadcquately,supported,-it being noted, as in Fig. 13, that, if desired,each one of the cross-members may include a pair ,of'channel-beams 45,between which the web 44 extends, and that ad uate support may beassured bythe use of -shaped sill-members 46. 7

The rigidity of the connection between the beams or webs 30 and 29 maybe assured by the use of braces 47 provided adjacent the points ofconnection of the same, and the webs 30 may have L-shaped members 48 and49 provided adjacent their upperand lower edges, respectively. Thecross-members 35 in the instance of the upper deck are each preferablyformed-similarly to the crossmembers 33of a pair of channel-members 50and an interposed web 51, as in Fig. 13. This web has its outer ends ofmaterially greater width than its body, as at 52, and extending incontact with the inner faces of the webs 30,proper connection betweenthese elements is assured b L-shaped members 53 arranged one ad acenteach face of the portion 52. Thus, the upper deck is cfiectuall braced,and am le strength is, as sured to furnish a materia margin of safetyover the strains to which this portion of the car will be subjected. V j

The compartments 22 embrace a floorportion 55, which. b means ofsuitable webs 56, is rigidly secure( to the web-members 24, which arenot only of suilicient stren th to withstand the strains and counteractt 1e impulses occurring incident to normal operation, but are also,sufiivicntly strong to adequately su )port any auxiliary machine whichmay disposed within .the compartments.

Thus, an adequate frame or skeleton is provided for a car of thisgeneral type; and, p I

1'to 3, it will be appreciated that by means of a frame of this naturethe ordinary type of vestibule 58 ma be utilized. Passing through thevestibuli; and entering the door to the interior of the car, the more orless conventional seating arrangement will be present as far as-thatdeck-portion which is supported immediately above the trucks isconcerned. If desired,a lavatory 59, instead of being provided at thedirect end of the car, may be situated adjacent the stair leading to oneof the central deck levels, seats 60 of reduced size being rovidedadjacent the stairway leading to t e second level. The seatinarrangement on the upper deck level may a so be more or lessconventional, except, due to the fact that the stairway 21 leading tothe same is offset with respect to the center of the car, the endseats.61 may be arranged to extend lengthwise of the car. 0n the lowerlevel the seating arrangement may also bemodified to provide a maximumseat-ing capacity for a car of this type, and it will here be observedthat the inner ends of the compartments 22 have those portions of theirbodies which are in line with the Stairways leading to the up er levelrecessed so as to provide adequate ead room for a person traversing thestairs.

The particular type of car shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive may be quitesimilar as to interior seating aran ement, etc., to the preciation withthe side walls of the cars and upon the deck levels which are directlysupported by the trucks; and further doors 65,

- preferably of the sliding type, may also be associated with the sidewalls of the car, and, more particularly, at the' lower deck level ofthe central portion thereof. It will be obvious that a car of thischaracter will be extremely useful in the association aforenamed.

While the skeleton for this car may generally be of that type shown inFigs. 7 to 14 inclusive, certain modifications should be made. Forexample, as has been illustrated in- Figs. 15 to 20 inclusive, beams 66are pro- Vided adjacent the floor of the car and above the car trucks,and these beams extend to oints adjacent the car ends. Further earns orwebs 67 are disposed parallelto the beams 66 and adjacent the upper endsof the uprights 68 which connect these members with one another.Cross-beams 69 ma extend between pairs of beams 66, and roo beams 70 mayextend between pairs of beams 67, it being notedas in Fig. 20-that aT-member 71 may be associated with the floor-beams 69 in order tostrengthen the construction. Girders or webs 72 extend between the beams66 and 67 and at points between the doors 64and 65, and these assembliesform in aggregate U-shaped members at the car ends. It will be notedthat the beams 66 are continued in the form of downwardly-extendingportions 73 and central portions 74, which latter may be reduced as at75 for the urpose of providing a doorsill, it being 0 served that atthis point, as has been particularly shown in Figs. 16 and 17, thedownwardly-extending portions 73 may be flared as at to provide maximumstrength, and that web-members 76 may extend between the webs or girders72 and the floor-beams 77 adjacent the same, as has also been indicatedin Fig. 20. Aside from these modifications the construction of theskeleton may generally follow the type of framework which is employed inconnection with the type of car shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

It Wlll be appreciated that y means of the constructions previouslysuggested passengers may readily traverse the length of the car,incident to the location of the Stairways, etc. Furthermore, even thoughthe roof may be depressed adjacent the side edges, thus decreasing thehead room adjacent the side walls, this will in no wise interfere withthe comfort of thepassengers, in that withm the aisles there will beample head room. This is particularly desirable in connection with thebraces 52 which extend between the under face of the deck and the sidewalls of the car. Thus, there will be no likelihood of the passengerstriking his head when being seated or when rising. Furthermore, it willbe noted thatthe floor of the central portion of the car, the deck andthe Stairways which extend between the car ends and t 1e outer ends ofthe deck and depressed central portion form, in aggregate, an irregularhexagon having parallel sides, and this construction obviously permitsof an extremely strong bracing.

Thus, among others, the objects specifically mentioned are accomplished,and since certain changes may be made in the above vehicle, anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made, without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed and all statements of the scope ofthe invention which as amatter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including a pairof trucks and a body supported upon and having its central portionextending downwardly between said trucks, the floor of said centralportion being of less width than the distance between the side wallsthereof and being positioned below and connected with said side wallswhereby to provide a recess for the accommodation of a third rail whensaid car traverses a curve.

2. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including a pairof trucks and a body supported upon and having its central portionextending downwardly between said trucks, the side walls of said carbeing recessed adjacent their lower edges whereby to allow for theaccommodation of a third rail.

3. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including a pairof trucks and a body supported upon and having its central portionextending downwardly between said trucks, a deck arranged within thecentral portion of said car body and in a horizontal plane above thatoccupied by the car ends, and means providing a compartment adjacent theroof of one of said car ends, said compartment being adapted to receivethe auxiliary machinery of said car and being interrupted at a pointshort of the plane into which the end of said deck extends.

4. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including a pairof trucks and a body supported upon and having its central portionextending downwardly between said trucks, a deck arranged within thecentral portion of said car body and in a horizontal plane above thatoccupied by the car ends, and means providing a compartment adjacent theroof of ,one of said car ends, said compartment being adapted to receivethe auxiliary machinery. of said car and extending to a point adjacentthe adjacent deck end, a stairwa extending from the car end to the deck,sairi compartment being 1nterrupted at a point in line with saidstairway.

5; A. railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including apair of trucks and a body supported upon and having its central portionextending downwardly between said trucks,a frame for said car, saidframe including supporting members extending substantially in line withand carrying the floors of the ear ends, vertically arranged supportingmembers connected therewith adjacent the inner ends of the same, and apair of longitudinally-extending supporting members connecting a pair ofsaid vertically-extending members, one of said horizontallyextendingsupporting members being disposed in a plane below the floor'of the carends and substantially in; line with the floor of said central portion,the second of said members being disposed in a plane above the floor atthe ends of the car, and a deck su ported: by and substantially in linewith said ast-named supporting member.

6. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including a pairof trucks and a body supported upon and having its central port-ionextending downwardly between said trucks, and a frame for said car, saidframe includmg a pair of U-shaped supporting members having their legsextending in a horizontal direction, and their bases at right anglesthereto, a pair of substantially parallel and horizontally-extendingsupporting members connecting said U-shaped members to. each other, oneof said lastnamed supporting members being connected with the bases ofsaid U-sha ed members at points substantially interme iate the legs ofthe same and above the plane occupied by the floor of the car ends, theother of said supporting members being connected with said U-shapedmembers to extend below the end floors, and a deck supported by thefirst horizontally-extendin member.

7. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including a pairof trucks anda body supported upon and having its central portionextending downwardly between said trucks, and a frame for said car, saidframe includm side wall portions each embracing a pair 0U-shapedsupporting members connected together by a pair ofhorizontallyextending inter osed supporting members, the first of saidlatter members being connected with the bases of said U-shaped membersat points substantially intermediate the legs thereof and serving as adeck support, the second of said horizontally-extending membersbeingalso connected with said U- shaped members and extending into a planebelow that occupied by the floor of the car ends, a floor for thecentral portion of said car, and offset members secured to said floorand said last-named horizontally-extending member. a

8. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including a pairof trucks and a body supported upon and having its central portionextending downwardly between said trucks, and a frame for said car, saidframe including side wall portions each em bracing a pair of U-shapedsupporting members connected together by a pair ofhorizontally-extending interposed supporting members, the first of saidlatter members being connected with the bases of said U-shaped membersat points substantially intermediate the legs thereof and serving as adeck support, the second of said horizontally-extending members beingalso connected with said U-shaped members and extending into a planebelow that occu ied by the floor of the car ends, the u per eggs of saidU-shaped supporting mem ers extending to points 1djacent the car ends,the lower legs thereof terminating at points short of the same.

9. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including a pairof trucks and a body supported upon and having its central portionextending downwardly between said trucks, and a frame for said ear, saidframe including side wall portions each embracing a pair of U-shapedsupporting members connected together by a pair ofhorizontally-extending interposed supporting members, the first of saidlatter mem ers being connected with the bases of said U-shaped membersat points substantially intermediate the legs thereof and serving as adeck support,'the second of said horizontally-extending members beingalso connected with said U-shaped members and extending into a planebelow that occu ied by the floor'of the car ends, the u per egs of saidU-shaped supporting mem ers extending to points adjacent the carends,the lower legs thereof terminating at points short of the same,cross-members connecting the lower legs of adjacent pairs of U-shapedmembers, and T-shaped supporting members having their shanks connectedwith said cross-members, their heads extending into planes occupied bysaid car ends.

10. A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions, including apair of trucks 11 A railroad car of substantially standard dimensions,including a pair of trucks 7 and a body supported upon and having itscentral portion extending downwardly be-- tween said trucks, a deckarranged above said central portion and also above the end portions ofsaid car, Stairways leading from the inner ends of such latter portionsupwardly to said deck and downwardly to said EDGAR ALFRED SELF.

